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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22841110">Second Chances</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Louise_panda_Belcher/pseuds/Louise_panda_Belcher'>Louise_panda_Belcher</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Amar a Muerte (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Slow Burn ???, Some angst, maybe idk, supportive!Eva, tattoo artist Juliana</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 08:08:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,077</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22841110</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Louise_panda_Belcher/pseuds/Louise_panda_Belcher</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A continuation of Hotel Key that someone asked for. A year has passed since they first met, how have they each dealt with it? Is there a possibility that they can make it work? Read and find out.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eva Carvajal &amp; Juliana Valdés, Eva Carvajal &amp; Valentina Carvajal, Valentina Carvajal/Juliana Valdés</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>114</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>remember how at one time I said to not ever expect angst from me? welp, I lied.</p><p>this was edited only by microsoft word, like all of my fics, so anything wrong is technology's fault. i tried</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Valentina's POV</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Is this really necessary?” Valentina asked. She was sitting in her office. Her new office in San Antonio. The city where Juliana was. She had the postcard hidden away in a journal she carried with her everywhere. The edges were frayed now, after being turned over and held for long hours at a time, stains from coffee or whatever drink she’d been having dotted it on both sides. The writing was faded slightly blurred, either from the liquid stains or the tears she cried over it.</p><p>The tears weren’t always for Juliana. Some were from holding it close when the date of her mother’s death came around, or when her life got too chaotic for her to deal with and the note was the only thing that brought her comfort. Some were for her; usually it was because she was angry the girl had just left without further warning. She had hoped the girl would come back, but she knew, in the back of her head, she knew she wouldn’t come back.</p><p>But now she was in San Antonio. She could call her. Find her. Take her out on a proper date. Get to know her on a real level. But it was too late. She’d been there for three months already and she never got the courage to dial Juliana’s number. Okay, that’s a lie. She dialed it. She dialed it so many times, but every time she would turn off her phone and forget that she even tried to call her. And now, after so much time, it didn’t feel like it was worth it.</p><p>It’s been a year since the first and last time they saw each other. A year since she found the most intense connection with another human being and she’d done nothing. Juliana had probably already moved on. Who would wait months, years, for a one-night stand to call? Who would put their romantic life on hold for a long-distance relationship, if it could even reach that point? Valentina knew her chances of finding Juliana single and waiting for her were nonexistent, so she didn’t even try. That didn’t mean that she still dialed the girl’s number every night, hoping that one of these times she might actually hit the call button, but it hasn’t happened yet.</p><p>So, she’s been in San Antonio for three months. She hasn’t called Juliana, the woman she is sure is the woman of her life, and now her sister is telling her that their father wants to send her over to make sure Valentina is handling everything fine in their U.S. offices.</p><p>“Look, Valentina, dad just wants to make sure that it isn’t too much for you. I know it’s only been three months and that isn’t nearly enough time to fully settle in, but I’m only going to be there for a couple of weeks. Just as an overseer, you don’t have to worry about me trying to take over,” Eva said emphatically.</p><p>Valentina turned to look out at the city outside her window, dropping the phone to rest over her chest. The morning sun was just starting to peek out from behind the other buildings, its bright rays reflecting an orange hue off of windows. She let out a deep sigh and closed her eyes for a second before she spoke again. “Fine. When are you getting here? I’ll send a car to you.”</p><p>“No need,” Eva said. There was noise on the eldest Carvajal’s side, something like security. “I’m already here. I’m downstairs.” Valentina forcefully hung up her phone and rubbed circles on her temples.</p><p>It was just like her father and sister to turn up in her life unannounced. They hadn’t even consulted her in this decision and she was just supposed to let it happen. And it wasn’t like she really had any say in it anyway. Her father owned Grupo Carvajal, and above everything, he was a businessman. His only concern was ensuring that his media empire was working efficiently, he didn’t care if his youngest daughter was pulling the longest hours of her life trying to get everything in order, he just wanted to make sure he wasn’t losing any money.</p><p><i>You know that’s not true. He loves you</i>, the voice in the back of her head told her. Valentina tried to control her breathing and she agreed. Her father did love her. He cared about all of his children dearly, he would give anything for them, even his company, but sometimes… sometimes it felt like all he cared about was the company. And this was one of those times.</p><p>“Valentina,” her assistant’s voice came through the intercom. “Your sister is here.”</p><p>“Tell her to come in. And bring me some tea, please,” she said before standing up from her seat.</p><p>Just as she was rounding her desk, the door opened and Eva stood in front of her with her bags. “Vale,” she said sweetly before moving to give her a tight hug. Valentina let herself fall into the warm embrace for a moment before pulling back.</p><p>“Why did no one tell me about this?” she asked seriously.</p><p>Eva tilted her head to the side and looked at her with a look that implied it should be obvious. “If we told you, you wouldn’t have been on board and dad said he couldn’t take that chance.”</p><p>Valentina nodded slowly and moved to sit on the edge of her desk. “So, you just got off the plane and came straight over? You didn’t even go to your hotel?”</p><p>“I wanted to see you first,” Eva answered. “I haven’t seen you in three months and I wanted to see if you wanted to have breakfast.” She looked at Valentina expectantly but when the taller girl remained silent, she nodded her head once. “Clearly, you don’t want to, so I’ll just go drop my things off and I’ll be back later.”</p><p>“No, wait!” Valentina said suddenly, stepping up to Eva and stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry. I’m just… I was caught off guard and I’m still just surprised, okay.”</p><p>“Vale, I promise this isn’t going to be as bad as you’re making it out to be. I’m only going to be at the office for a couple of days, the rest of the time I’m going to be hanging out with my friend. You won’t have to see me unless you want to,” Eva’s voice sounded sincere, but Valentina knew how good of a liar her sister was. Eva was able to get two degrees in college without their father even noticing, so there was definitely a chance that she was just trying to get Valentina to drop her guard completely.</p><p><i>She loves you, just trust her</i>, the voice in her head whispered, and she hated that the voice was always right. She hated that she doubted her father and sister so much, but with how often they manipulated people, manipulated her, she wasn’t always sure that there weren’t ulterior motives when they were involved.</p><p>“Okay,” she said softly. “Let’s get breakfast, then I can take you to your hotel.”</p><p>“Oh, I’m not staying in a hotel. My friend has a loft out here and she’s letting me stay with her. Her exact words were ‘there’s no use spending money on a room when you can spend it on something else’. I’m pretty sure she meant drugs, but she was probably on something so who knows really,” she finished with a shrug.</p><p>Valentina felt her eyes widen involuntarily. In all her years she’d never heard of Eva surrounding herself with anyone who wasn’t in their social circle. Eva was prim and proper, she had the perfect husband, the perfect job, perfect friends, perfect house, there was nothing about her that suggested she would hang out with anyone who their father hadn’t approved. Maybe Eva wasn’t as stuck up as she thought, maybe she was just stuck in the mold their father had beat them into and was just trying to get out of it, just like Valentina and her brother were. Maybe she was also fighting the outlandish standards Leon Carvajal had imposed on all three of his children.</p><p>---</p><p>“Are you sure this is the place?” Valentina asked cautiously.</p><p>They were in the middle of a sketchy looking alley. The brick buildings were artfully decorated with graffiti and some even had gang tags, or Valentina thought they were. There were broken glass bottles around the building they were going to, but the closer they got, the less of a mess it looked. Someone had clearly gone about clearing much of the glass from the street and swept it off to the side, but Valentina still felt her skin prickle at their current location.</p><p>“Yes, Val, I’ve been here before. Come on,” Eva said as she stepped up to a black door with a keypad next to it. She knocked on the door heavily and then stepped back to wait. It wasn’t long before the door opened, but the sight that greeted them surprised Valentina. She was even more surprised that Eva hadn’t been outraged with the man who stood in front of them.</p><p>He was only wearing a pair of white boxer briefs and an open black silk robe that left his entire chest visible. “We don’t open until 2,” he said, disinterested. He had his hand on the door and was blocking the entrance with his body.</p><p>“I’m here for J,” Eva said flatly, her tone was also disinterested. Almost as if she were bored with the man in front of her, which Valentina could understand. There was nothing quite remarkable about him. He had short stubble on his chin and cheeks, his dark eyes were nothing interesting, he wasn’t significantly tall, if anything he was rather short, and his hair was a typical frat boy look. The only thing about him that looked remotely interesting were the tattoos that seemed to litter his arms legs and parts of his chest. His skin was like a canvas, and the colors and shapes that covered it were a masterpiece that he wore with pride.</p><p>“Come in,” he muttered and stepped aside, letting Eva and Valentina step inside. “Let me get those. She’ll kill me if I don’t help,” he said, a slight hint of amusement in his tone.</p><p>“Ay, Pablo, she wouldn’t ever hurt you,” Eva said, familiarity suddenly seeping into her voice. Did Eva know this guy? She must have, but it still didn’t make sense to Valentina. This wasn’t Eva, it wasn’t the sister she knew. There was a familiarity and something else that she couldn’t recognize because she’d never seen it in her before.</p><p>“You aren’t living with her for free. You also didn’t break her pool table last night,” he said with a grimace.</p><p>They were now standing in the loft and Valentina was surprised by what she saw. It was nothing like she expected it to be. Where she expected bare walls and uneven, broken floors she found beautiful rugs and large canvas paintings. The entire room was sleek and organized. The furniture all seemed chosen for design rather than for comfort, but the sleeping bodies on one of the couches would disagree. Even from a distance Valentina could tell that everything in the space was chosen with a double purpose.</p><p>When she looked up, she found a lofted area, she could barely bake out a bed, she figured it worked as a bedroom or guest room for someone. There was a kitchen on the farther side of the open space just before a long dark hall started. Again, everything was carefully chosen. The black tubing worked well with the marbled countertop and the soft gray stools that were on the other side. The dining table was all hard angles and was that a net dividing the table in half?</p><p>There was evidence of a party. Red solo cups spilled all over the room, empty bottles on the floor and some empty bags of chips littered the floor. She looked at Eva with a questioning gaze but she only found an amused smirk on her sister’s lips.</p><p>“Did you throw another party last night?” she asked as she picked up one of the cups that was on the floor just to her left.</p><p>“That’s another reason she would hurt me. And it wasn’t last night. It started Friday,” he said, his breath stuttering at his last words.</p><p>“You threw a weekend rager, and you’re still alive?” Eva asked, with a chuckle. Suddenly two men dressed in blue jumpsuits emerged from the dark hallway, and Eva sent Pablo a pointed questioning look.</p><p>“I hired them to clean the mess.” Valentina could make out four trash bags and then they dropped them on the floor before going back to where they came from, re-emerging with another four bags. “I’m on a thin line,” Pablo said unsteadily. “And it was a wild weekend. I’ll go get her.” He then stepped into the dark hallway and disappeared.</p><p>“You’re staying here?” Valentina asked, her brow furrowed in concern. “Eva, you can stay with me, if you want. I would feel safer if you did.” There was a loud crash followed by the sound of shattering glass.</p><p>“You’re being dramatic,” Eva said with an eye roll. “Really, this isn’t a common occurrence and I swear that I will be perfectly fine.” Valentina was about to argue when she noticed Pablo walking back to them, but instead of re-entering the open space, he pushed a door in and disappeared. In his place a smaller figure followed and Valentina was struck frozen.</p><p>“Eva!” The woman said excitedly and practically ran into the open space and wrapped her arms solidly around Eva. Valentina couldn’t believe what she was seeing. In front of her was Juliana. The girl she’d met a year ago and never called. She was in her apartment and her arms were around her sister. Eva knew Juliana. Juliana knew Eva. They knew each other, and the familiarity that was evident between them had Valentina staggering slightly.</p><p>“Juliana!” Eva replied, just as excitedly. “It’s been so long!” she said as she pulled away. “What’s it been, eight months since I last visited?”</p><p>“Just about,” Juliana said with a wide smile. Valentina melted at the appearance of that smile. A smile she’d seen directed at her after they spent the night together. It wasn’t until her gaze fell down over the woman’s body that Valentina was really struck silent.</p><p>Juliana was standing in front of them in black panties, a white tank top and a red robe that was loosely tied around her waist. If you could even consider the haphazard knot enough to hold the robe closed. She wore a silver chain around her neck, whatever pendant it had was hidden between the valley of her breasts. Her hair was tied back in a messy bun, her skin clear of any makeup and Valentina found her to be the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen.</p><p>Juliana finally tore her gaze from Eva and their eyes met. It was like time stood still.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Juliana's POV</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Her eyes met bright blue and the earth stood still. Time froze. There was absolute silence. It was like the air was sucked clear out of her lungs and she couldn’t breathe. The world fell away, the only thing that existed was her and the woman in front of her. Juliana and Valentina. One year. One year she had to wait before seeing ocean blue eyes. One year and it was like everything fell into place. Her heart beat erratically in her chest. Her blood pumped viciously in her ears. Her pulse was thrumming.</p><p>One year. That’s all it took. One year. She wished she could go back a year and tell her old self what she knew now. She wished she could go back and tell herself that everything would be okay in one year. That she would just have to wait one year and then everything would be okay. Blue eyes were finally looking at her, pinning her with a look she knew very well. It was a look that swam through her mind whenever she was alone in her room. When she was with someone else. With someone who wasn’t her, and she needed a release so desperately that the only way to get it was to let those eyes, that look flood her mind.</p><p>It’s why she never had many long-term partners. No one liked hearing someone else’s name come from a lover’s mouth other than their own. Because how could she not scream Valentina’s name when she was the only thing that could get her there. How could she pretend that she could do anything with anyone else and not have every memory of her flooding her mind. But she did it. She got good at pretending, but she didn’t believe it. It was for her partner’s benefit. To keep them close for the night. Only for the night, two at most, but never more.</p><p>She saw flashes of skin swim through her mind. She could still hear the way Valentina panted for more into her ear. How she begged for release, for anything. She could feel the taller girl’s fingers gently caressing her body, even the very thought of it caused her skin to prickle. She could still remember the way the girl felt beneath her, on top of her. She could remember it like it happened last night, but she knew it hadn’t. Because last night she didn’t see her. She hadn’t been with her in a year and the memories were more real than anything that happened last night. </p><p>She was here. Valentina was here. One year and now she was here. Why was she here? Why was she here with Eva? Wait, Eva was also here.</p><p>“Valentina,” she said quietly. Involuntarily. It just slipped out. Her name slipped out like it was the most natural thing in the world and Juliana had to admit that it sounded so much better saying it to the girl rather than to an empty room or some random stranger.</p><p>“Juliana,” Valentina said just as quietly and Juliana had to resist the urge to moan at the sound. No one could say her name the way Valentina just did. Her name had never sounded so good coming from another person’s lips. It was like nothing she’d ever known, the only time her name sounded better was that night they shared together.</p><p>“You two know each other?” Eva asked, curious. She looked between the two of them suspiciously.</p><p>“We met briefly,” Juliana said, before Valentina had the chance to deny anything. A year had gone by and she still somehow knew that the girl would try to deny her. She’d been running the last time they met, but she also knew that she wasn’t the only one who’d been running. She just hadn’t questioned Valentina about it because she knew that it went much deeper than what that one night could give them. But she wasn’t going to let her run.</p><p>“A long time ago,” Valentina said, her eyes wide from shock. She hadn’t expected Juliana to acknowledge what happened between them, considering the way they left things. She wanted to run and hide, but a larger, more dominant part of her was ecstatic that Juliana had acknowledged her. It meant there was still a chance.</p><p>“Well, I guess I don’t have to do full introductions then,” Eva said with a light laugh. “Juliana, this is my sister. Vale, this is my friend from university.”</p><p>“Wait, I thought… how?” Valentina asked confused. Juliana felt her heart melt at the small confused pout that settled on Valentina’s lips.</p><p>“There’s a mentorship program for art majors, Eva and I got paired my freshman year,” Juliana answered.</p><p>“But then… What were you doing in Mexico when we met?” Valentina asked. She knew Juliana was only a year younger than her but they’d both already graduated by the time they met. Valentina had been out of school for about five years, which meant that Juliana hadn’t been in school for at least four.</p><p>“I was doing an apprenticeship,” Juliana said, moving to pick up a binder from a shelf off to the side. She watched as Valentina flipped through the various styles of tattoos that were between plastic covers. She felt her heart flutter whenever she noticed Valentina’s eyes brighten when she saw something she liked, and how she traced over the lines of works she found particularly interesting.</p><p>The men Pablo hired to clean the loft were finally cleaning in the large open living space. Juliana was watching Eva and Valentina flip through the binder when there was a sudden burst of giggles emerging from a room in the dark hallway. Juliana looked up and found Valentina’s eyes staring at her before she moved her gaze to the source, then her eyes were cold and icy. Juliana instantly felt her blood freeze in her veins and she rushed to explain.</p><p>“That’s not my room,” she said quickly. Eva looked at her curiously but didn’t say anything. Valentina looked at her with disbelief. “I promise, I don’t know them.” A chorus of ‘Hey J,’ came from the three women who had been the cause of this now awkward situation. Juliana shut her eyes tightly and bit her lips. “I don't know them the way you think I know them,” she said carefully. She saw Valentina clench her jaw, and if it were any other situation, she would find it incredibly sexy, but right now her mind was only focused on keeping Valentina in her presence for as long as she could.</p><p>“Hey, ladies, what’s taking so long?” Pablo asked as he poked his head out of his room.</p><p>Juliana sighed and was finally able to breath easily as Valentina’s posture relaxed. “Eva, your room is at the end of the hall. Straight down on the left,” she said, hoping that Eva would get the hint and let her have a moment alone with Valentina. Luckily, Eva had understood the unspoken tension that existed between her sister and friend and carried her bags to the room Juliana indicated.</p><p>They stood in silence for a few beats and Juliana couldn’t handle it anymore. “I waited for you,” she said loud enough to be heard.</p><p>Valentina swallowed. “I just got into town,” she said in response, her gaze shifting to her feet.</p><p>“The ‘if you’re ever in town’ was a suggestion, not a condition,” Juliana said softly with a light teasing tone. Valentina didn’t laugh. “I’m sorry. I just meant to say that… I wanted you to call.”</p><p>“You left.”</p><p>“I did,” Juliana replied. She could feel her heart beginning to crack.</p><p>“You waited.”</p><p>“I did.”</p><p>“Which means you stopped,” Valentina stated, her voice cracking and tears building in her sapphire eyes.</p><p>“Six months is a long time to wait for a call. Especially when after three months you knew it wasn’t coming,” Juliana replied, her voice wavering slightly.</p><p>“I wanted to call. God, did I want to call!” Valentina said loudly, fisting her hands at her sides.</p><p>“Why didn’t you?” Juliana asked, she stepped closer and held Valentina’s hands, kneading them until they were no longer clenched.</p><p>“I didn’t know how. I didn’t know what to say. I still don’t know what I could say. You left, and you took my heart with you. All I had, all I have left is a postcard and your words,” Valentina cried softly. Tears were silently streaming down her cheeks and Juliana quickly wiped them away. “You even took the hotel key.”</p><p>Juliana chuckled lightly. “I did, didn’t I?” she asked rhetorically. She stepped forward and brought their foreheads together. “I still think about you,” she whispered.</p><p>“Don’t,” Valentina whispered into the space between them. “I can’t. I’m seeing someone.” Juliana felt her heart finally break at the admission.</p><p>“Juliana?” a woman’s voice called from the upstairs loft. A dark sheet wrapped around her shoulders. Juliana froze and pulled back. Valentina turned to look up in the direction of the voice and Juliana watched as her lip began to tremble.</p><p>“Val, I can explain,” she rushed to say but Valentina was already pulling away. “It doesn’t mean anything,” she tried. “I meant what I said. You’re all I can think about.” Her words fell on deaf ears. Valentina was gone, the door slammed shut and Juliana was left standing alone in a room full of people.</p><p>“Where’s Val?” Eva asked as she finally made her way back to Juliana.</p><p>Juliana shook her head, trying to clear her mind of what just happened. “She left. She said she wasn’t feeling well.”</p><p>“What’s going on Juliana?” Eva asked, her voice soft.</p><p>“We’ll talk about it later, right now I think Valentina needs you more,” she said and took a few steps back. “I’ll text you the passcode later.” Eva nodded and slowly exited the loft.</p><p>“Juls,” the woman called again.</p><p>“Don’t call me that,” Juliana growled. “Get out,” she said firmly. She moved to the sleeping figures on the couch and shook them awake. “Get out. Get out!” she shouted, practically pushing everyone out the door.</p><p>She rushed to her office and let the door slam shut behind her. She moved behind her desk and pulled out a worn leather-bound sketchbook and set it on her desk.</p><p>Staring back at her were the same blue eyes she’d just been standing in front of her not five minutes ago. She flipped through the pages and felt tears spring into her eyes. On every page she’d captured every moment she could remember of her time with the other girl. She’d spent weeks sketching and re-sketching, coloring and fixing every detail of every image and looking at it again, she couldn’t do the real thing justice. Valentina was much more real than any drawing she could ever make, there was nothing she could do that would replace the woman. She gripped at the chain around her neck and tugged until the key at the end of it was held within the palm of her hand.</p><p>She’d taken the hotel key and kept it on her at all times. She lost it a few times, but after losing it for almost a week she decided to wear it on a necklace, refusing to take it off, regardless of the situation she found herself in. It served as a reminder that she hadn’t dreamed that night up. It reminded her that it was real, what she’d felt that night was real. Now, it served to reinforce her feelings. She was sure Valentina was it for her and she would do whatever it took to get her back. There had to be a chance to get her back.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Eva's POV. She also tried to make amends with Valentina.</p><p>Also, can you tell I love Eva?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eva stepped out into the alley and found Valentina leaning against the wall of the building, her hands gripping tightly at her hair. “Are you okay? Juliana said you weren’t feeling well,” she asked.</p><p>Valentina stiffened at the other woman’s name and Eva knew that there was more going on between them than either was letting on. “Yeah, just a headache,” Valentina answered, giving her a small smile. “You ready to go?” Eva nodded and followed as her sister led the way back to her car.</p><p>---</p><p>The entire day was spent going over budget and progress reports. She tried talking to Valentina a few times but her sister seemed to be trying to avoid her with a determination she hadn’t seen since before she left for university abroad. Eva just sighed and let the girl pretend like there was nothing wrong, but she knew that there was something going on and Juliana was a key factor. She would need to talk to her when she went to her place later after work, but for now she needed to focus on the reports her father was expecting.</p><p>---</p><p>“Okay, I need you to tell me what the fuck is going on between you two,” Eva said loudly as she stepped into the loft, but she found herself alone. There was a bright white light coming from a room in the far back of the loft, a part of the apartment she hadn’t realized was there since it was shrouded in darkness earlier in the day.</p><p>She followed the light and pushed the door open to find Pablo bent over a mostly naked man, his modesty protected only by a brown towel. “Where’s J?” she asked, careful not to startle the man.</p><p>“She should be in the other work room,” he answered as he sat up. “Out the door and across the front desk,” he directed her, using the needle gun to point. “Can you close the door before you go?” he asked before turning her focus back to the tattoo he was working on.</p><p>Eva did as asked and followed his instructions. When she stepped out of the work room, she was surprised to find it looking completely different from the last time she was there. The windows were clean and let in a delightful amount of light that coated the space with a calming hue. The chairs were newly upholstered and the entire decor of the room was well put. Each framed picture showcased the work either Juliana or Pablo had done and there were a few binders laying on the coffee table in the middle of the room as well as the front desk.</p><p>“You looking for J?” a young woman asked. Eva only nodded and gave her a slight smile. “She’s in there,” she pointed at a closed door on the other side. “She’s with a client right now. I’d give it a few minutes; she should be done soon.” The girl looked to be just about eighteen, but with the amount of ink that covered her skin, you wouldn’t be able to tell.</p><p>Eva turned her attention away from the girl and looked out at the city’s skyline. It was different from the view she got from the company’s building. From there, she could only see the other skyscrapers and to see anything that was smaller she had to look down, but from here she could see both of them. The shorter buildings making the skyscrapers seem even larger and the sun shining on them only made the view more spectacular.</p><p>“You’re all good, Stacy,” Juliana said as the door to her work room was pulled open. “Vicky will take care of you. Eva,” she said as she looked away from the woman. “Come in,” she said and held the door to the room open.</p><p>“Okay, I barged into your loft yelling, and since you weren’t there to hear it, I’m going to do it now,” Eva said and Juliana dutifully nodded and sat in her chair. “I need you to tell me what the fuck is going on between you!” Eva shouted, but even to her it sounded fake and without any of the pent-up energy she’d had earlier.</p><p>“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Juliana deflected, turning her chair to start clearing her work station.</p><p>Eva let out a humorless laugh. “Oh, no, you don’t get to play dumb this time Juliana. Not when my little sister is in the middle. Tell me what the fuck is going on or so help me Go-”</p><p>“It’s her,” Juliana practically shouted, causing Eva to stumble over her words. “It’s her,” she said, quieter this time, tears already brimming in her eyes.</p><p>“She’s who? Who is she?” Eva asked confused. Juliana remained silent but pulled the chain over her head and placed it, along with the key in Eva’s hand.</p><p>“It’s her,” she said, resigned. Eva stood frozen, her hand holding the key she’d seen her friend cry over months ago. The key she never let out of her sight, the one she’d called her crying in the middle of the night about because she’d lost it. She knew the story, not many of the details, but she knew everything the girl from that night made Juliana feel. She knew just about everything about that night and the words Juliana said and the key were starting to get pieced together.</p><p>“Valentina?” Juliana only nodded. “Well, what are you going to do about it?”</p><p>Juliana stood up and shook her head incredulously. “There’s nothing to do!” she said, her eyes wide. “She-she saw a girl in my loft,” she said, her hands waving through the air, but Eva just stared at her confused. “<i>My</i> loft, as in the loft in the apartment. You know, where <i>my</i> bed is.” Eva’s mouth fell open in understanding. “Plus, she’s dating someone and I’m not… I thought about what I could do, but I don’t want to… Eva, I just want her to be happy.” she cried.</p><p>“There is still a chance,” Eva countered.</p><p>“Didn’t you hear me? She’s already with someone!”</p><p>“No, she isn’t.”</p><p>“She said so herself.”</p><p>Eva leaned against the counter in the small room. “Well, I think she lied to you. She hasn’t mentioned dating anyone.”</p><p>Juliana looked at her skeptically. “Eva don’t take this the wrong way, but Valentina wouldn’t tell you if she were seeing someone. She didn’t even tell you about that night.”</p><p>“True, all true, but Guille, our brother, he hasn’t told me anything either. And before you say that he wouldn’t tell me anything, you’re also very right. But if there’s one thing we tell each other everything about its Valentina. Especially if she’s dating someone. I’m the one who has to make sure they’re good enough for her, or threaten them away, whichever comes first.”</p><p>Juliana laughed dryly. “I had her,” she said quietly. “She was so close, and now she’s gone. Even if she isn’t seeing anyone, what’s to say she even wants anything to do with me after today?”</p><p>“It’s been a year,” Eva said. “You had to move on, and she has to understand that. You put the ball in her court and she didn’t hit it back. Juliana, this isn’t on you, okay,” she crouched in front of Juliana and looked up at her. “I can talk to her.”</p><p>“No, please don’t,” she begged.</p><p>“Juliana, you wouldn’t have even moved on if I wasn’t the one pestering you to do so. I know you, and I know how you felt, how you still feel about her. I know that you would have waited for her this whole year. And you know it too.”</p><p>“It hurts so much,” Juliana cried.</p><p>“I know sweetie,” Eva said as she pulled Juliana into her chest.</p><p>---</p><p>She stood in front of Valentina’s door waiting for someone to answer. She knocked again and she heard the sound of faint curses being groaned as footsteps approached the door.</p><p>“What are you doing here?” Valentina asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. “I thought you were staying with Juliana.”</p><p>“I am,” Eva answered flatly. “But I need to talk to you about something. Can I come in?”</p><p>Valentina stepped aside and let her sister walk into her apartment. As soon as they were in the living room Eva noticed Valentina preparing herself for what she thought was going to be critiques over everything she saw. If she was honest, she was also preparing herself to give her criticisms, but there was nothing to criticize.</p><p>Everything was sleek and clean. There was a throw blanket over the back of the couch, but aside from that, there was nothing out of place. Valentina had obviously been working, the papers and her open laptop on the coffee table were proof of that.</p><p>“What do you want, Eva?” Valentina asked after five minutes of awkward silence.</p><p>Eva steeled herself for what she was about to do. She was going to do something she hadn’t done since before their mother passed away and she wasn’t sure she was really ready for what this would do to her relationship with her little sister.</p><p>“I want to apologize.” Valentina was obviously not expecting that. “I am sorry for how overprotective I was and still am over you and Guille. I am sorry that I couldn’t be the sister you deserve. I am sorry I let dad push you around all these years. And I am sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me the most. You deserve so much more than what I have given you and I’m so sorry for all the years we’ve missed due to our fighting.” Her voice was wavering, but she was a business woman, she could keep her emotions in check.</p><p>“Eva,” Valentina murmured, tears were already streaming down her cheeks. She stepped forward and pulled Eva into a tight hug and Eva let herself be enveloped in long arms and she felt her walls sliding down. “What brought this on?” Valentina asked when they finally pulled apart.</p><p>“I did something. Something that is now hurting you and hurting my best friend,” Eva knew the instant she started losing Valentina.</p><p>“You’re here because of Juliana,” Valentina stated, her jaw clenching. “I knew it was too good to be true. You don’t really care about me.”</p><p>“That’s not true,” Eva countered. “Right now, this instant, yes I’m here for Juliana, but this trip, this trip was as much about you as it was the company, actually, more about you,” she said firmly, tears were now streaming down her own cheeks and she roughly wiped them away.</p><p>“Stop lying, Evangelina. It doesn’t suit you.”</p><p>“I am here because of you, Valentina. I came to try to mend things between us, or at least try. We don’t even have to talk about her, but I am tired of always being the villain in your story,” she admitted. “I really don’t want to make this about me, but you aren’t the only one who has had problems. And I don’t want you to feel bad about what you’ve done, but I do want you to know my side of things too. I know I’m not the easiest to get along with, ever.” Valentina laughed humorlessly.</p><p>“You’re the worst.”</p><p>“I know,” Eva nodded. “But I want to try. I want us to get along. So, will you please listen to what I have to say?” Valentina pursed her lips but nodded ever so slightly and Eva took it as a win. “What do you want to know first?” she asked.</p><p>“Why were you so mean?” Valentina asked and the vulnerability Eva heard there nearly tore her in half.</p><p>“I was angry,” she said simply and Valentina visibly recoiled. “Not at you,” she rushed to reassure her. “Never you, or Guille either. I was angry at God, for taking mom away. I was angry at mom, for not fighting harder. I don’t know if you remember this, but she was sick two times before the last one, and she beat both of them. I was angry that she gave up, that she hadn’t fought harder to stay. Then I was angry at dad for disappearing, for not being there for me, for you, for Guille. I was so angry at the world and I didn’t know how to handle it so I took it out on you two.</p><p>“But mostly, I was angry with myself, because it must have been something I did. I must have done something to deserve what happened and I punished myself by pushing everyone away. It had to be my fault that they were gone and that meant I didn’t deserve to be loved. And you,” she reached out and gently cupped Valentina’s face. “You were so small, I mean tiny, and you were so pure and it wasn’t fair that you had to lose both of your parents and I couldn’t let myself be there for you because it was my fault they were gone.”</p><p>“You were barely a teenager,” Valentina said softly, tears were freely rolling down her face. “It wasn’t- isn’t your fault.”</p><p>“I know,” Eva whispered. “It took me a long time to understand that. I wasn’t in a good place for a really long time and I- I, Val, there were so many times where I gave up.”</p><p>“Eva.”</p><p>“Do you remember that I was gone for months at a time?” Valentina nodded. “I nearly succeeded every time, but every time, dad would find me and take me away.”</p><p>“No,” Valentina said in horror. She lunged forward and wrapped Eva into her arms again. Eva didn’t return the hug, even now she didn’t feel like she really deserved to be loved by the pure and joyful person that her sister was.</p><p>“Hey, I’m still here, aren’t I?” Eva tried to joke as she pulled away from the hug that lasted much longer than she was comfortable with. Valentina looked at her with a sharp gaze. “I’m ok, Val, I have been for a while now,” she reassured.</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Valentina's POV.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Valentina couldn’t believe how long they’d been talking. For the first time ever, she and Eva were talking, really talking. Sharing and telling each other about themselves without any arguments or fights. It was just them, two sisters trying to get along after so much time had passed.</p>
<p>She was surprised when Eva showed up unannounced at her apartment and at first, she’d been upset, but now she was glad. They still had a long way to go, but they would work through things together. Eva told her that she was going to try talking with Guille next, since he was the one who honestly took the brunt of Eva’s anger when they were younger.</p>
<p>Hearing the way Eva was opening up made Valentina trust her and believe what she said. They could fix their relationship, or they could at least build a new one. But there was still another topic that they’d avoided. And for a time, she was glad, but now that they’d gotten through some of their issues, it was starting to gnaw at her.</p>
<p>What had Eva done that was hurting her and Juliana. She doubted Eva would have been able to have any real effect on what happened, but she wanted to know. “What did you do?” she asked after a long silence had settled over them.</p>
<p>“Huh?” Eva asked, her eyes gazing out of her apartment window.</p>
<p>“When you were apologizing, you said you did something that was hurting me and Juliana. What did you do?”</p>
<p>“Right,” Eva sighed and shifted in her seat. “I got involved when I shouldn’t have.” Valentina remained silent, hoping that Eva would continue. “I’m the one who told Juliana to move on.” Valentina gave her a confused look. “Okay, so the morning after… well you know, Juliana called me talking about this girl she’d met and had the best time with.”</p>
<p>“She told you about me?” she asked shocked.</p>
<p>“Yes, but she didn’t mention your name, so, there’s that and no details, thank god,” she huffed. “Anyway, she said she left her number and that she hoped the girl, you, would call her. She was good for a few weeks, a few months even. She figured you just got busy or were struggling to find the courage, but after three months she had really given up hope that you’d call.”</p>
<p>Valentina felt her chest tighten at knowing that Juliana had been waiting. Sure, she said so herself, but how could she trust that it was true, but hearing Eva confirm it, it gave her words more weight. “She said she waited for six months, but you just said that it was three months,” she questioned.</p>
<p>“She threw herself into work, and with everything taking off she started earning big money, which is how she owns that building and why she works out of it. When she finally realized you were never calling, she was too busy with work that she barely had any time to think about moving on. Then she lost the key,” she said, shaking her head.</p>
<p>But it caught Valentina’s attention. “The key?” she asked, she cursed her traitorous heart for beating excitedly at Juliana having kept the key. Even though she knew the girl had taken the key, she couldn’t be sure what she had taken it for.</p>
<p>“The hotel key,” Eva answered with a tilt of her head.</p>
<p>“She lost it?”</p>
<p>“Yeah. I don’t actually know how she lost it, but it was during the last time I visited. The entire loft was a mess, the rugs were all over the place, I mean, you couldn’t even see the floor. She was desperately looking for it. Val you should have seen her, it was like she’d lost the Hope diamond or something,” she said with a sad smile. “She was frantic and driving herself crazy, but when she found her, the instant relief that took over, I’ve never seen that before. I thought she was crazy for putting herself through that, so I told her to move on.</p>
<p>“I urged her to move on, but she said that she wasn’t ready, that she couldn’t get you out of her head. After six months, her dad was...she told you about that, didn't she?”</p>
<p>Valentina’s heart stopped. She did. She remembers. He was sentenced to be executed, but she didn’t think it would happen so soon. “He was executed so soon?”</p>
<p>Eva shook her head. “No, he hadn’t even been through all of his appeals, but he got on the wrong side of some of the inmates and they… he was murdered.” She rubbed her hands over her face and sighed. “She hated him but he was still her father so it hurt. She was suffering and she went on a drinking binge for a while. Luckily, she already had Pablo so he was able to handle their workload but she wasn’t okay. Then I told her to let you go and she started hooking up with strangers. She hasn’t had a stable relationship, never letting anyone stick around for more than a couple nights at the most.</p>
<p>“That girl you saw in her loft, she isn’t her girlfriend. She doesn’t have anyone waiting for her,” She tilted her head forward. “But I hear you do?” she asked.</p>
<p>Valentina felt a hot blush rising up her cheeks. Eva sat back with a proud grin on her lips, she caught her in a lie. “I lied,” she confessed. “I didn’t want her to… I don’t even know why I lied, I just needed to get out of there and have her not follow me.” Eva nodded in understanding.</p>
<p>“It isn’t my place, but she’s a really good person. And I just want you to know and understand that she did nothing wrong. I’m not taking her side, but you never called and you’ve been here for three months.”</p>
<p>Valentina nodded, shamefully. “I know I don’t have a right to be upset.”</p>
<p>“You can be upset, but you can’t blame her for it.”</p>
<p>“Do you think she’ll give me another chance?” she asked hopefully. Eva nodded with a wide smile.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>Valentina was sitting in her office; the blinds were closed. She couldn’t do this with people peering into her office. If she was going to do this, she needed to be comfortable and safe. The numbers stared at her, the phone’s brightness almost too much for the minimal amount of light in the room. <i>Just do it</i>, the voice in her head said and like always, she listened to it. She hit the call button and waited.</p>
<p>It rang three times before the line was picked up.</p>
<p>“Hello?” Juliana’s voice ran through the receiver and Valentina didn’t know what to say. “Hello?”</p>
<p>“It’s me,” she said after a long moment of silence.</p>
<p>“Valentina?”</p>
<p>“Yes.” Juliana didn’t say anything, they were just on the line letting the moment sink in. “I lied,” Valentina said after a while. “I’m not seeing anyone.”</p>
<p>Valentina could hear the shaky breath Juliana took and she felt her heart beat faster. “Neither am I.”</p>
<p>“Eva told me.” There was silence again. “Can we meet up to talk?”</p>
<p>“I’m free Thursday.”</p>
<p>“I’ll pick you up at seven?” she asked.</p>
<p>“That works for me.” Juliana answered before hanging up. Valentina looked down at the postcard resting on her desk. She had a chance; they had a chance. They were getting a second chance.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>That's a hopeful ending, me thinks. </p>
<p>Let me know your thoughts and comments.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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